Getting Started with PHP and MySQL

HTML and Javascript programs are loaded into your computer and run in your browser. However, PHP and MySQL run on a server. A server commonly used with PHP and MySQL is Apache.

Webhosting:

If you are attempting to run PHP and MySQL code, your web hosting company must have this software available for you to use. (They are available from most web hosting companies.)

Localhost:

For testing purposes, you will want to to run your PHP and MySQL software on your computer.

Here are the main sites for downloading the software.

Installing these can be a bit challenging. Consider reviewing the Installation Procedure available from PHP MySQL Tutorial Creating PHP/MySQL:

PHP integrates the communications between your browser and the MySQL database. Said more clearly, PHP has the commands that provide all the functionality you will need

Here are a few examples

Creating the database can be done in two way:

This MySQL Browser is the simplest approach for creating and editing the database. Building a Database

MySQL databases consists of tables. Each table serves a specific purpose. Consider a database called "Membership Roster." In our example, each member has a password, and some members have the right to see special information.

Maybe there are three tables in the database.

In the example above: Names, Addresses and Phone Numbers are all referred to as "Fields." All names are kept in the Names field. PHP includes the commands to allow your HTML <form> to load the database appropriately.

Likewise, PHP has the commands to send information from the database to your HTML browser to display thie information. Again, PHP can't display the information directly. PHP can only provide the information to your browser for display.